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Giving Neighbour gift for babysitting

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I wonder if you can advise. Our normal babysitter is away on holiday and a very kind neighbour has agreed to sit for our children tonight. She has refused payment, saying it is a neighbourly gesture, but I feel awkward. She has a really busy day today and I think she would prefer an early bed, but is putting herself out to help us.


We have baked her a cake so she has a fresh bake to nibble on tonight and a box of chocolates that I will give to her on her arrival.


There is a nice place she likes to visit, so I thought about buying vouchers for the place to the value we would normally pay the babysitter. The question is when to give them to her.


I worry she will refuse to accept them if we give them to her tonight on her arrival or departure, and wondered about popping them through her door with a thank you note tomorrow.


What do you all think?
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Comments

  • mountainofdebt
    mountainofdebt Posts: 7,795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 9 August 2014 at 2:25PM
    How old are your children?

    Are they old enough to give them to her, thanking her for looking after them tomorrow?

    though it sounds as if being a good neighbour to her is more important than expecting payment, in what ever form that takes.......not to say you aren't in any case!
    2014 Target;
    To overpay CC by £1,000.
    Overpayment to date : £310

    2nd Purse Challenge:
    £15.88 saved to date
  • hgotsparkle
    hgotsparkle Posts: 1,282 Forumite
    If thats what you know she would like then go for it! I'd go for popping it through her door the next morning so you know she can't refuse and leave it at yours when she's finished sitting.
  • moomoomama27
    moomoomama27 Posts: 3,823 Forumite
    Yes pop it through her door the next day :)
  • I agree with the posting through the door! It makes it difficult to say no then! My neighbour did that to us! I really hadn't wanted payment for something we had done for her so she posted a gift in the next few days!

    In some ways I wish she hadn't but it obviously was something she wanted to do!
  • LilElvis
    LilElvis Posts: 5,835 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I think that the vouchers on top of cake and chocolates might be overkill as she has already said that she doesn't want payment. A nice thank you card, maybe made by the children if they are young, would be a good gesture though.
  • mountainofdebt
    mountainofdebt Posts: 7,795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    LilElvis wrote: »
    I think that the vouchers on top of cake and chocolates might be overkill as she has already said that she doesn't want payment. A nice thank you card, maybe made by the children if they are young, would be a good gesture though.

    This is exactly what I thought on reflection ......I'm a strong believer in thanking people but also paying it forward!
    2014 Target;
    To overpay CC by £1,000.
    Overpayment to date : £310

    2nd Purse Challenge:
    £15.88 saved to date
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,801 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Savvy Shopper!
    Just to say, OP, both you and your neighbour sound like really lovely people. :)
  • PlymouthMaid
    PlymouthMaid Posts: 1,550 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Good neighbours are wonderful things (wish i had some) so the cake and chocs are smashing and then you can make sure she knows that you are happy to repay with a favour when needed.
    "'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
    Try to make ends meet
    You're a slave to money then you die"
  • trailingspouse
    trailingspouse Posts: 4,042 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Wine was the usual currency when my kids were young.
    No longer a spouse, or trailing, but MSE won't allow me to change my username...
  • lostinrates
    lostinrates Posts: 55,283 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    This is exactly what I thought on reflection ......I'm a strong believer in thanking people but also paying it forward!

    I'd be really happy to baby sit for nothing for neighbours occasionally. Its...neighbourly. Similarly, neighbours have dug me out of holes in the past.

    The best payment? Good neighbour relations, being there for each other in the future, consideration over noise /access issues.....just normal things.
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